In many aerospace related systems having orbiting space based satellites, the satellites must be in particular orientations to perform their intended tasks. For example, telecommunication satellites may require that their antennas are positioned for appropriate transmitting and receiving of wireless communications. Additionally, space exploration satellites may require very precise satellite orientation for high resolution imaging of celestial bodies. All inertial guidance systems drift with time and their calibration needs to be periodically updated. Reckoning from stars with a tracker can provide this calibration with the required precision.
A satellite's position and/or orientation may be determined by various types of inertial guidance systems such as a laser gyroscope. However, such inertial guidance systems are only useful for positioning and orienting an orbiting satellite up to a certain degree of accuracy. When further accuracy is desired, other techniques may be required. In particular, it would be desirable to enhance satellite position accuracy by using a real time star tracking system that tracks the images of predetermined stars. That is, such a star tracking system may be utilized to fine tune the position and/or orientation (collectively, denoted "positioning information") of an orbiting satellite, wherein a separate inertial guidance system supplies initial estimates of such positioning information. Moreover, when installed on a satellite, it would also be desirable for such a star tracking system to be of reduced size, weight and power consumption. Moreover, it would be also desirable that such a star tracking system be capable of tracking a plurality of stars simultaneously.